PRESS RELEASE

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HUNTER'S GLOBAL NETWORK HOLDS A  LANDMARK AGRICULTURE-BASED CLUSTERS (ABC) EXPORT READINESS CONFERENCE

Botswana Positions Moringa and Devil’s Claw as Flagship Climate-Smart Export Crops

Gaborone, Botswana | 20 February 2026

Botswana has taken a decisive step toward agro-industrial transformation following the successful conclusion of the 2-Day Agriculture-Based Clusters (ABC) Export Processes Readiness Conference held on 19–20 February 2026 at the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN).

The conference was organised by Hunter’s Global Network Pty Ltd (HGN) and Farmer’s Pride International (FPI), hosted by Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), with technical support from AfriCrops (Germany), and institutional backing from the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) Secretariat, Bank of Gaborone, and Vunani Fund Managers.

The high-level stakeholder engagement brought together government officials, academia, financial institutions, international off-takers, farmer clusters, private sector actors, and development partners to advance Botswana’s transition from fragmented primary production to structured, export-oriented agro-industrial value chains.

Strategic Milestone for Botswana’s Economic Diversification

Aligned with the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), the conference reaffirmed agriculture as a central pillar of economic diversification, job creation, and rural industrialisation.

Participants confirmed that Agriculture-Based Clusters (ABC) provide a structured model for:

• Farmer aggregation and traceability
• Export compliance and quality control
• Vocational and competency-based agricultural training
• Institutional financing and insurance integration
• Climate-smart production systems

The ABC model is now formally positioned as a scalable framework for national commercialisation and export competitiveness.

Key Outcomes of the Conference

1. Export Readiness Advancement

The conference confirmed that Botswana’s first structured Moringa export shipment is scheduled for execution in February 2026, marking a historic milestone in indigenous crop commercialisation.

Export compliance systems, moisture control protocols, and traceability standards were reinforced in preparation for EU market requirements.

2. Strategic Crop Positioning

The conference formally recognised:

• Moringa Oleifera as a flagship climate-resilient nutraceutical export crop
• Devil’s Claw (Sengaparile) as a high-value indigenous medicinal commodity with global demand

These value chains are expected to drive rural employment, foreign exchange earnings, and climate-resilient agro-industrial growth.

3. Institutional Collaboration Strengthened

The conference solidified a multi-stakeholder collaboration framework linking:

• HGN and FPI –Agriculture based Cluster  formation, implementation and organic production systems
• BUAN – Research and vocational agricultural training
• BETP Secretariat – Policy alignment and economic diversification
• International Off-taker AfriCrops (Germany) – Market access and export standards
• Financial institutions – Structured agricultural financing

This partnership model reflects a tripartite linkage between academia, industry, and markets.

Strategic Implementation Roadmap

Immediate Actions (0–3 Months)

• Execution of the first certified Moringa export shipment
• Cluster audits and traceability verification
• Deployment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Establishment of central aggregation and quality control centres

Medium-Term Actions (3–12 Months)

• Installation of solar and industrial drying facilities
• Establishment of agro-processing hubs
• Structured financing frameworks for clusters
• Organic and EU certification systems
• Youth and women agro-processing incubation

Long-Term Vision (1–5 Years)

• National Moringa and Indigenous Crop Export Industry
• Climate-Smart Agro-Industrial Zones
• Carbon credit registration for plantations
• Regional export expansion into SADC and EU markets

SMART Targets (2026–2028)

The conference adopted measurable targets including:

• Training 10,000+ farmers under ABC and RUAIPP frameworks
• 3+ tons minimum initial export shipment (February 2026)
• 150+ structured farms operational in 2026
• 1,500+ direct jobs and 3,000 indirect jobs created
• Expansion to 200 farms and 4,000+ tons production by August 2026

The Gaborone Joint Declaration (2026)

Stakeholders jointly resolved that:

  1. Agriculture-Based Clusters (ABC) shall be advanced as a national commercialisation model.

  2. Moringa and Devil’s Claw are strategic climate-smart crops.

  3. Institutional collaboration will drive agro-industrial transformation.

  4. Farmer capacity building will be institutionalised through vocational systems.

  5. Women and youth inclusion remains central.

  6. Climate resilience and regenerative agriculture will guide production systems.

  7. Botswana must transition to value-added export-ready agro-processing.

Conclusion

The Conference resolved that Botswana has moved beyond policy discussion into operational execution.

With structured clusters, export partnerships, trained farmers, and institutional backing, the country now stands at the threshold of a new agro-industrial era grounded in climate-smart agriculture, indigenous crop commercialisation, and inclusive economic growth.

Issued Jointly By:

Hunter’s Global Network (HGN)
Farmer’s Pride International (FPI)
AfriCrops (Germany)
Agriculture-Based Clusters (ABC)
Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN)
Strategic Partners and Stakeholders

🌿🇧🇼

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